Lake Elmo State Park — a state park in Yellowstone County, Montana — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Lockwood, about 5.3 km (3.3 mi) away (Lake Elmo State Park lies WNW of town).
Lake Elmo State Park is a public recreation area located on the northeast side of Billings, Montana. The state park occupies 123 acres (50 ha) and is at an elevation of 3,199 feet (975 m). It offers swimming and non-motorized boating on a 64-acre (26 ha) reservoir, three beach-front areas, fishing pier, grassed multi-use areas, two group-use shelters, playground, and fenced-in dog park on the lake's west side. The reservoir is primarily fed by the Billings Bench Water Association Canal.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Elmo State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Elmo State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 54° NE | 9:08 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 124° SE | 4:33 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:40 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:02 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 41m |
Local time (America/Denver), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Lake Elmo State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:20 AM – 4:30 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:46 PM – 2:36 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:21 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 9:19 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.42 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 63 | 64 | 77 | 86 | 92 | 101 | 107 | 102 | 99 | 89 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -16 | -14 | -23 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 46 | 40 | 26 | 2 | -12 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this state park
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Lake Elmo State Park, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Elmo State Park?
What time is golden hour at Lake Elmo State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Elmo State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Elmo State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Elmo State Park?
How far is Lake Elmo State Park from Lockwood?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.